CHURCHES PROTEST

The government plans exceed the tolerance level of the churches. It is the first time that the heads of the four historical churches in Hungary protest together against government measures endangering church institutions.

Cardinal-Primate Péter Erdő said that fifteen years after the change of regime the rule of law was still unable to create a calculable background to opereate church institutions. The four traditional churches yesterday held a common press briefing to protect the interests of 108 000 students, 14 000 inmates of their social institutions, and of 14 000 employees, criticizing the budget of 2006 and the planned amendment of the social law. Cardinal-Primate Erdő said the government modified conditions again and again to the detriment of the churches while Bishop Bölcskei, head of the Reformed Church and Imre Szebik, Bishop of the Lutheran Church said they turned to the public because in principle there was still some hope to modify the budget. Sándor Streit, President of the Jewish Communities is Budapest said there was a tolerance level beyond which they could not accept the restrictive measures of the government.

Translated by Péter Szentmihályi Szabó